Admittedly, younger chapter books are not my forte. (I really need to work on that). I am looking for recommendations and your expertise. She reads at a high level, is entering 4th grade, and will give almost anything a shot. Some of her recent favorites include Frindle, the Clementine books, Oggie Cooder #1 (Oggie Cooder), and Lunch Money. Oh, and she read the entire The Spiderwick Chronicles series at the beginning of June. She LOVED them.

I am planning on recommending the Just Grace series next. But I need more ideas! I counting on you – do you have any recommendations for great books for 4th graders?

Medusa Jones by Ross Collins
The Year of the Dog (and sequel: The Year of the Dog) by Grace Lin
A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban
Whittington by Alan Armstrong (I read this out loud to a group of 4th/5th graders at a local school and they loooved it)
The Mercy Watson books by Kate DiCamillo

And the girls at my library are absolutely crazy for the Mallory series by Laurie B. Friedman

All 7 Franny K Stein books–she’ll read them fast but I bet she’ll love them. Definitely Babymouse. Have her Give Hank Zipzer a try, If she likes it, there’s a whole series, if not, oh well. They’re kinda boy-ish, but FUNNY and well written and one of the few series that bridge easier chapter books to those I think of as more fifth and sixth grade-ish. Ivy and Bean #3 and #4. How To Steal A Dog. Larger Than Life Lara. The Frog Princess. I love the Deltora fantasy series, but it’s a rather big stretch forward from Spiderwick. Down Girl and Sit and Smarter than Squirrels. I firmly believe all kids her age ought to be offered the hilarity of Captain Underpants, (i’m no longer surprised when very refined little girl students eat those up). Jellaby was a way cute GN and one of my all time faves that’s more literary is called The Key Collection.

Here’s something I’ve noticed about lots of fourth grade readers. :Just Right: is hard to find. Many books are pretty easy sailing, and many that they try out take them into rough waters. I’m all for finding “just right” books, but I think there is a jump in reading skills that happens, hopefully before or during fourth grade, that just requires some serious effort and stamina. One day you’re working hard at getting through a chapter book, and then you suddenly have the decoding skills and vocabulary to just get lost in the stories and you never look back. My ten year old daughter, who is going into fifth grade next year is in this zone, but I would not describe her as motivated. Resistant Reader would be the accurate label. But we’re working on it.

Try the Callahan Cousins series by Elizabeth Doyle Carey. The first one is _Summer Begins_. They are easy chapter books set in New England (Rhode Island, I think.)

Also–the Betsy Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace. The first two are _Betsy-Tacy_ and _Betsy-Tacy and Tib_. The series of 8 take the trio of best friends from age 5 through about 21.

She might like the Anne of Green Gables books, though they are a little more challenging. If she has already read those, try the Emily books, also by L.M. Montgomery. The first and best one is _Emily of New Moon._

_Understood Betsy_, _Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm_, and _Caddie Woodlawn_ are also classic books. A great one that is hard to find is _Two are Better than One_ by the author of Caddie Woodlawn, Carol Ryrie Brink.
Also–_Dandelion Cottage_ by Carroll Watson Rankin.